Passenger safety is of primary importance in modern automobiles. Vehicle construction and design is meant to minimize passenger injuries in case of an accident. A critical element of modern vehicles is the front pillar construction to which the windshield is attached. The main role of the front pillars is to safeguard the structural integrity of the passenger cabin in case of a collision. In addition, the pillars provide a housing for oblique air-bags and, finally, they are used as the frame of the windshield.
The dual role of the front pillars as a reinforcement and housing construction has resulted in a continual increase of their size. Thus, the driver faces two forward, oblique blind spots. These blind spots are significant and, because the vehicle operator cannot see everything within the range of the vehicle's forward motion, they increase danger of a collision when the vehicle is in motion. The probability of a collision is higher at crossroads as well as at roundabout circulation. For example, FIG. 1 shows the problems attendant with the obstruction of driver's vision due to the windshield pillar when the driver of a vehicle 12 approaches a roundabout through which a vehicle 10 is proceeding on the driver's left. Here, the driver must somehow look around the pillar, which is directly in-line with the vehicle in the roundabout. FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing showing the driver's view of the roundabout of FIG. 1 and the obstruction of the driver's vision of the vehicle 10 in the roundabout caused by the windshield support pillars 20.
Known systems, such as that disclosed in US 2010/0259841, can be functional, but such systems lack universal applicability and they impose constraints in vehicle design. For example, the mirrors that are used are applicable only in a configuration of transparent glass surfaces, whereas the viewing size is finally small and distant from the driver's eyes.